RUTHGESEK

RUTH GESEK Ruth Ann Lyons Gesek, a 19-year resident of Las Vegas, passed away March 17, 2013. She was born in Addieville, Ill., Nov. 2, 1923, to Homer and Atha (Wolgamott) Lyons, the fifth of 10 children. She grew up in Clear Lake, Iowa, and had many stories to tell of living through the Iowa winters with minimal heat and walking "three miles in the snow" to school every day. She was bright and started first grade at age four, thus graduating from high school at age 16. She was a nanny for a short time and also attended business college. During World War II, she was married to Jimmy Blumenstock. They settled in New Jersey after the war and he played football for the New York Giants. In 1951, she found herself single again and living in Michigan, where she met and married John Henry Gesek. They were married 28 years until his death in 1979. In 1959, John and Ann moved to southern California, where Ann was content spending her time in the garden and raising her three daughters, Kandace, Karen (Cooky) and Jonette (JJ). She moved to Las Vegas in 1994, to be close to her three daughters and their families. Ann spent her retirement years gardening, and shopping at the thrift stores where she had a knack for picking up valuable antiques, but most of her time was spent with her family. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Henry Gesek; and her siblings, Marjorie, Molly, Clinton (Bud), Bill, Jim, Jerry and Joe. She is survived by her brother, Larry Jack Lyons of Fort Worth, Texas; her daughters, Kandace Ann Harden (Richard), Karen Kay Gesek and Jonette Jean Hodson (Alex); grandchildren, Sean, Matt, Nick (Baylee), Megan (Kurt), Kayla, Hannah and Hally; stepgrandchildren, Cynthia, Adam, Audrey, Ben, Charleton, John, Roy, Breck, Brittany and Brooke; and 28 great-grandchildren, whom she adored. Graveside services will be at noon Wednesday, March 27, at the National Cemetery in Riverside, Calif. Ann will be missed for her spunky attitude and loving kindness that she showed her family and friends. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Coats for Kids at http://www.coats-for-kids.org/

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